Border Commune Sees 200 Households Escape Poverty Annually: Young People Think Differently in Lao Kho

The Hmong People Establish a VietGAP Plum Cooperative, Heading Towards Organic Production "Here, you can experience all four seasons in a single day: a chilly morning, a scorching midday, a cool afternoon, and a freezing night. The harsh climate and rocky terrain seem inhospitable, yet it is the birthplace of a famous fruit - Lao Kho plums. Unlike any other plums on the market, Lao Kho plums possess a delicate sweetness, crisp texture, subtle fragrance, and juiciness. Each plum is a crystallization of the ideal altitude, the hot, dry Lao winds, the early season cold dew, and above all, the diligent and pure hands of the Hmong people who have lived on these steep mountain slopes for generations" - this is the opening of the introduction printed on the brochure of the Lao Kho Agricultural Cooperative, led by Director Lo Lao Chua. Having heard much about this Hmong young man from commune officials, I was determined to find him. His house sits atop a mountain over 1,100 m overlooking ...